Rail-joint.



R.. S. BOHANNAN & N. DUGGBR.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY z, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. A

F113- l l f y I6 2/ .2 f 2 /4 NT. SMQ@ o \o o\ /26 R. S. BOHANNAN & N. DUGGER. BAILJOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1912.

narran srArns rArnnr ernten i ROBERT s; BOHANNAN AND yNEAL DUGGER, or amstel', ALABAMA. i

RAIL-JOINT.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT S. BOHAN- NAN and NEAL Dooom, citizens of the United States, residing at Ensley7 in the county of Jefferson, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvef ments in RailJoints; and I do hereby declare Vthe following Vto be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rail jointsf and more especially for those adapted 'for use upon trackways for railway weighing scales, draw and lift bridges, turn tables and the like and has for an object to provide an improved rail joint whereby a practically continuous rail joint, so that the abutting. rail ends will be so connected as to obviate the pounding caused by the passage of the car wheels over the openings at the abutting rail ends of ordinary rail joints and which has rendered them practically useless for the purposes mentioned. r A still further object of this invention is to provide a rail joint which will positively prevent bounding of the cars as they pass off or on the joint and connected abutting end of a rail, thereby preventing derailments of the cars caused by thewheels lippingV or wedging open the abutting rail ends at the joint, especially when the rails are not in proper alinement. y

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved joint which will'serve to hold the meeting ends of the rails positively in proper alinement and to eliminate shock and vibration which are especially detrimental to scale and bridge mechanism and rolling stock, thereby rendering it pos-r sible to pass over bridges or other places in connection with whichmy improved joint is used, at a higher rate of spe-ed than has heretofore been Vpossible with safety.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved joint which is eX- tremely simple in structure, and durable in use and which will also prevent binding of abutting rails, thereby allowing a bridge or similar movable member to be shifted with greater -ease and despatch.

VVith'the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain other combinations and arrangements of parts as will behereinaft'er more fully described and Claimed, it being a still further object to Specification of lLetters Patent.

Application led July 2, 1912.

Patented Nov. a, isis. Serial No. l707,321.

provide a device which will not be likely to get out of working order.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is aside elevation of our improved joint, showing the same in a locked position and' used in connection witha draw bridge or turn table, theshiftable tread support and connecting member' in an unlocked position in dotted lines so that the draw bridge or turn table may be rotated. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig.

l but showing a slightly modified construction and the device in use in connection vwith the platform "of track scales. Fig. 4 70 is a view similar togjFig. 2 but showing the joint, mount-ed adjacent to a scale pit and platform,for use as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings;A Fig 5 is a detailedqperspective view of the.A shiftable tread vsupportand connectingmember.. Fig. G is a fragmentary side elevation oftwo abutting rail ends connected by my improved means and showing the means toprevent the car wheels and A more especially lthe Iflanges thereof fromlipyK ping or striking abutting railswhen they'are considerably spaced apart. Fig. 7 is a top plan view..thereof.' Fig. 8` is ,a sectional view taken onthe line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig.

9 is a detailedview of a connecting `block 85 used inthe construction shown in Figs. 7 and S of the drawings. i u l Referring to vthe drawings byy numerals, and more especially Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, 10 designates a masonry bridge structurev or 90 vwall having a metallic tread plate'll andi which is also provided witha supporting ledge12 in whichone end of a bridge span is movable, the same being indicated by the numeral 13, although it is obvious that the same may be a span of a turn table vor other similarly movable member. An approach rail 14 supported upon suitable ties 15 adjacent to the structure 10 is provided, it being understood that two of such rails are provided for each trackway although we have illustrated but one of suchrails for the proper understanding of the invention. A rail section 16 is supported uponv each span 13 and terminates atl the end thereof 105 so as to provide a gapV 17 between the meeting ends of the rails, similarV to the space between the spans and the vertical wall of the ledge 12 formed in the masonrystructure 10. These rail sections 14 and` 16 are 110" n mutilated upon'common sides for a yconsiderable length as shown at 18, the same havv tread support and connecting plate 19 which projects at its outer face beyond the sides oit the balls of the rails as shown at 20 and is pivotally connected to the tia-nge portion of the rails 16 by means of a bolt 21 detachably secured through the reduced end portion 22 of the plate 19 `and the flange oi' the rail. This portion 22 is rounded upon its bottom edge as shown at 23 and its upper cut away portion 2e has its end wall spaced from the adjacent eut away portion ot the rail 16 so as to allow vertical move ment of the plates upon its pivotin moving from the position shown in vsolid lines in Fig. 1 when Jthe rails are held against movement to the position shown in dotted lines to permit operatien of the bridge or -tu-rn table. Lugs 25 are also attached to the span 13 and to the ties or other convenient points to engage the outer tace of the plate 19 in order to assist in guiding the said plate during .its operative `movements land also to prevent movement of the 'bridge or turn table when the plate is in a locked position 'between them and the reduced ends 26 of the rail sections 111 and 16 respectively.

In 'order Vto permit operation of the plate 19 we provide an arm 27 which is attached to the outer tace 'of the plate intermediate of its ends and preferably adjacent to its pivot point as shown, said arm extending downwardly yin aninclined 4direction toward an operating rod 28 which is adjustably and removably attached thereto as shown at 29 1 so that upon longitudinal movement imparted to the rod by a suitable lever or other mechanism (not shown), the said plate will be raised or lowered in the positions described. lt will also be seen 'from the drawings and more especially to Fig. 5 thereof, that the plate 19 is properly shaped to conform to the shape of the standard wheels torcars and it will also be noted that its upper edge is inclined upon opposite sides of its longitudinal `center as shown at 30 so that the highest point of the plate at the apex or meetingpoint of the said inclined portions, is located slightly above the upper or tread faces of the rails, thereby removing the strain from the ends ot the rail sections in passing thereover inasmuch as the said plates are mounted upon the outer sides of the rails.

1n the structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4 ot the drawing, the numerals 31 and 32 `represent the side and end walls respectively of a scale pit in which a platform 38 is mounted for vertical movement and connected in any preferred manner with the scale beam and recorder of the scale weighing mechanism (not shown). Suitable beamst are arranged for movement within the pit and adapted to support-suitable `holsters 35 upon which and an angle beam 3G, a rail section 37 is supported longitudinally ot' and upon each side of the platform 33, whereby the `said rail will be adapted for movement with the platform. by the weight ot the car and contained material therein during the weighing operation. A supporting beam 39 is mounted upon the end wall 32 and is provided with a Vtread plate which in connection with suitable ties 11 serves to support a rail section e2, the same which is similarly cut as shown at 18 as heretofore described in connection with the rail sections let and 1G so as to permit the attachment oi the plate 19 by the pivot bolt 21 for movement as described, but in vthis instance the lower portion et the plate is spaced from the supllorting structure as shown at 13 and provided 'with circular supporting ends 44E. The plate is also retained in position by the lugs Lland if desired, any arm L6 may be secured 'to the plate 19 in this instance and an 1 operating rod 17' extended in a reversed .position from that heretofore described so as to shift the plate removed from the scale platform, although it is obvious that this arrangement `may also be used in connection with a turn table or draw bridge. Should it be desirable that lthe meeting ends of the rails be a considerable distance apart for use in connection with draw and litt bridges or turn tables, so las to accommodate any defect or otherwise, we `construct the said `parts in a similar manner as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and with the upper vtace of the plate 19 beveled inwardly as shown at L18 and dis- ;ose a spacing block L19 upon the inner tace of the plate 19 and provide the same with upper and lower flanges 50 adapted to rigidly support the wheels in passing over the joint and thereby avoid lipping or striking of the abutting rails and consequential derailment ot the cars. ln this construction we also employ a series of lugs or angular brackets 51 having outwardly curved upper extremities `52 adapted to `permit proper passage of the car wheels and also to hold the plate in Contact with the reduced portions 2G of the rail sections.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that we have provided a new and improved rail joint which will be very desirable for use in connection with track scales, turn tables, `draw bridges and the like and which will etliciently overcome pounding of the joints at the abutting rail ends by the passage of the car wheels there over and which will further hold the parts tion as well as permitting relative movement thereof and shifting of the movable part when in an unlocked and despatch.

We claim:-

l. In a rail joint, the combination with the end of a movable rail section and a position, with ease meeting end of a stationary rail section;`

of a plate pivoted to one of the sections and coacting with the other section to form a continuous joint, the pivoted end of the plate being provided with a lug to prevent unlimited downward movement of the plate and having a similar lug at its free end whereby said lugs will support the plate and the intermediate portion will be cushioned.

2. In a rail joint, the combination with the meeting ends of rail sections having coacting recesses vertically and continuously in common faces thereof; of a plate pivotally connected at one end to the flanged portion of one section for vertical movement into and out of the recesses and means for l' holding and guiding the plate in its opera- "tive movements, said means includingbrackets having flanged attaching portions'and outwardly directed upper ends.

3. In a rail joint, the combination with two rail sections; the ends of the .sections being spaced apart; of a tread member and connecting plate disposed in recesses in the sections and inclined toward opposite ends upon its upperledge,.said plate being adapted for movement into and out of line with the sections and a spacing block carriedby the plate between the ends of the sections.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures, in lpresence of two witnesses. Y

Y ROBERT S.BOHANNAN. NEAL DUGGER. Witnesses: A

I-IINToN BROOKS,

CHRIS MARRIGG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

